Back in 1989 writer/director Victor Salva crafted a chilling tale of homicidal clowns who possess a knack for stalking young boys. The picture (titled Clownhouse for those who may have missed it) is a genuinely unnerving piece of work with some highly disturbing moments on display.

Honestly, what the hell is more frightening than grim guised serial killing clowns?

How about a child molesting director?

While filming Clownhouse, Victor opted to make a career destroying decion. Sadly, he forced then 12-year-old Nathan Forrest Winters (who portrayed Casey Collins) to engage in videotaped sexual acts including oral copulation. Salva’s abuse quickly surfaced in the media, not only terminating any hope of Clownhouse garnering commercial success, but also earning him a three year prison sentence after pleading guilty to one count of lewd and lascivious conduct, one count of oral copulation with a person under 14, and three counts of procuring child pornography.

As amazing as it may sound, Salva served just 15 months of his prison term. Forced by law to register as a sexual offender, Salva was quickly blacklisted amongst his Hollywood contemporaries. It would be x years before Victor returned to cinema, with the rarely seen The Nature of the Beast (how appropriate).

The following half decade afforded Salva few opportunities, though astonishingly, he somehow found himself in the director’s seat for the Disney financed feature, Powder. Powder floundered at the box office, and, given the circumstances surrounding the film (namely Disney’s involvement), Salva’s past was once again brought to the media forefront.

Again Salva faced a lengthy hiatus from film, not returning to helm another film until 1999 when he spearheaded the forgettable Rites of Passage. As expected, the film underwhelmed, and at that point, numerous critics had finally declared Salva’s film career deceased.

Two years later that declaration evaporated. Salva returned to action with the sleeper horror hit Jeepers Creepers. Jeepers, shot on a $10 million budget earned a reasonable $37 million domestically, and suddenly genre fans were faced with an outlandish dilemma: to support a convicted child molester or not, based solely on what many conder a stellar film.

As the decades unfold it seems as though many have forgotten Salva’s despicable conduct. Or for that matter, perhaps they’re mply ignorant to the man’s background. Of course, we’ve got a third option, albeit unlikely: perhaps many have forgiven Victor.

Jeepers Creepers II followed two years later, and again, crowds flocked to screen the grizzly sequel, which like its predecessor proved a lucrative production. Not only was the memory of Salva’s checkered past fading, it appeared his popularity had taken a turn for the better.

These days buness inders and pundits are still quick to dismiss Salva’s existence. Horror fans however, aren’t so quick to write-off the rebounding filmmaker.

A third installment of the Jeepers Creepers franchise is in the works as I type, and fans are buzzing with anticipation of the film. In fact the Creeper has already begun to take on an iconic image in the minds of genre fans.

But the Creeper apparently isn’t the only saving grace for Victor, as his upcoming chiller Rosewood Lane is swimming in a masve pool of hype. Admittedly, the idea of a psychotic paperboy is alluring, but is it alluring enough to finally forgive Salva for committing such appalling actions?

Sure some twenty-plus years have passed nce Victor’s notoriously heinous gaffe, and yes, people change, evolve…improve. But at the end of the day, one must look in the mirror and ask themselves: Does one thrilling franchise (and a proming yet-to-be-released picture) warrant forgiveness for Victor Salva?

While Victor Salva once looked to be a casualty of his own disconcerting fetishes, the times have changed. Somehow Salva is regaining steam and respect as a filmmaker (hopefully he's learned to conduct himself appropriately behind closed doors as well). I suppose the final question I pose is this: Has Victor managed to redeem himself in your eyes?

As a father, I know my answer, regardless of how much I may enjoy his films.

Matt_Molgaard
Thursday 7/14/2011 at 11:50 PM | 78696

Great article,

I had never known any of this before hand, very informative, even if I'm not sure I like knowing it.

HorrorDaily
Friday 7/15/2011 at 12:10 AM | 78699

Yea if I would have know this I wouldn't have wanted to see the final Jeepers Creepers movie .In fact I am ck to my stomach about what he did.He should have done life for what he did that ck on of a bitch.

I can't lie though, I enjoy his movies, I'm just not much of a fan of the man himself.

Matt_Molgaard
Friday 7/15/2011 at 02:06 AM | 78717

I actually talked to Victor a few years ago and at that time I had no idea of his past. He told me all about being done with Jeepers Creepers 3 and how he had plans for a TV series.

I'm a die hard fan of The Creeper and always will be. But not a fan of Victor.

tna237
Friday 7/15/2011 at 01:51 PM | 78737

I actually talked to Victor a few years ago and at that time I had no idea of his past. He told me all about being done with Jeepers Creepers 3 and how he had plans for a TV series.

I'm a die hard fan of The Creeper and always will be. But not a fan of Victor.

what was he like as a person?

Matt_Molgaard
Friday 7/15/2011 at 01:53 PM | 78738

I actually talked to Victor a few years ago and at that time I had no idea of his past. He told me all about being done with Jeepers Creepers 3 and how he had plans for a TV series.

I'm a die hard fan of The Creeper and always will be. But not a fan of Victor.

what was he like as a person?

I probably should have mention it was online. It was on a webte of his. I never actually met him. And yeah, you never truly know who your talking to online but the things he said about the film/show are just now getting around.

But soon after, the te went down. Maybe, talking to a, at the time, 16 year old boy wasn't good for him.

tna237
Friday 7/15/2011 at 02:07 PM | 78740

I say fuck this pedophile piece of trash. He wont see a dime of my money or get my support. There are plenty of films and directors out there in need of support and a decent budget. Give it to them rather than Salva.

ny ghoul
Tuesday 7/19/2011 at 04:27 PM | 78949

I say fuck this pedophile piece of trash. He wont see a dime of my money or get my support. There are plenty of films and directors out there in need of support and a decent budget. Give it to them rather than Salva.

i can definitely respect your standpoint, though i have to admit, i think the man crafts fine films, whether i loathe his actions or not...

Matt_Molgaard
Tuesday 8/16/2011 at 04:08 PM | 80771

I say fuck this pedophile piece of trash. He wont see a dime of my money or get my support. There are plenty of films and directors out there in need of support and a decent budget. Give it to them rather than Salva.

i can definitely respect your standpoint, though i have to admit, i think the man crafts fine films, whether i loathe his actions or not...

Now if I had seen this, I wouldn't have written a piece on the same subject the other day. You might've mentioned that, and I'd have pulled it.
Sorry for the redundancy.

Though this juxtapotion is a bit creeptastic:

dew
Tuesday 8/16/2011 at 06:10 PM | 80788

I say fuck this pedophile piece of trash. He wont see a dime of my money or get my support. There are plenty of films and directors out there in need of support and a decent budget. Give it to them rather than Salva.

i can definitely respect your standpoint, though i have to admit, i think the man crafts fine films, whether i loathe his actions or not...

Now if I had seen this, I wouldn't have written a piece on the same subject the other day. You might've mentioned that, and I'd have pulled it.
Sorry for the redundancy.

Though this juxtapotion is a bit creeptastic:

you're a good writer, no way I'd recommend pulling it - the more people informed about this type of stuff, the better. Knowledge is power!

Matt_Molgaard
Thursday 8/18/2011 at 02:24 AM | 80936

I have to say that it is nice to see all of you for the most part in agreement that Victor and others like him are scum and bacally have no place in society (let alone on set of a Disney film). But I digress...this is a subject that hits very close to my heart because I am victim and survivor of sexual abuse as a child and it has been a battle my entire life to overcome.

I can remember seeing the original "Jeepers Creepers" and had never heard his name before and as someone who has studied film and their makers for my entire life, once I loved the film I went and looked into what else he had out there. So of course his heinous act is what I discovered and it absolutely turned my stomach to think that I had such high praise for a film that had a man behind the camera that was in the same pool as the man who assaulted me. I was torn, and it took me a very long time to let the pain and dust settle. Like most things in life once you know of it, it is difficult almost imposble to forget.

I can enjoy the original film for what it was but to be honest it isn't how I usually am with movies I love, most of the time I think about a movie and I pop it off my shelf and watch it. However, with this series it's more that I watch if I happen to be flipping channels and it is a fluke that it happens to be on tv at that time. That being said I find myself once again torn regarding the series, because with part III being closer to release than ever before what is someone in my potion to do? I certainly don't think it is right that a convicted child molester can be free to direct multi-million dollar budget films while so much of the country is unemployed and future writers and filmmakers like myself are struggling to be noticed even in the slightest form.

Interestingly I will point out to you guys who are fresh to the knowledge of what he did...go back now and watch parts I and II and tell me you do not see that come through on screen in the second with all that male skin?!!! To me it was such an obvious change in tone from the original to the sequel (and this is not meant to discuss whether or not the sequel was good or bad) I am mply mentioning it because it was clear what was on his mind during that shoot! (Remember the bus scene with all of the guys greased up on top suntanning?!!!) Think of the target audience for this film, sure there are female horror fans out there of course but the majority of those in attendance and commentaries on various blog tes through the years have been male.

Just to round it out and bring it all together, I have to say honestly it will be tough for me when the time comes of its release. While I can separate the film itself from the act of its director, I know the pain that is caused by what he did and sorry to say that people like him are rarely one time offenders. Look into the research, it shows it is virtually imposble for someone who molests a child not to do it again. For this reason alone I would have to say that I wouldn't feel right to give any of my money to further aid in this man's career in Hollywood. I could go on but I think I should and need to stop there. I do want to thank Matt for posting the article and bringing it to the attention of so many who had no idea what he had done. Really important and much appreciated for all of us who have been through such things. Have a great week Matt and HorrorBid!!!